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How do you design a $30k electric pickup? Inside Ford's skunkworks

arstechnica.com

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Re: How do you design a $30k electric pickup? Inside Ford's skunkworks

#111

Post by red-iron-pine »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #72
gyulai wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The distinction gets at something interesting though, and it's a weird intermingling of culture and politics. I think a truck as owned by a consumer, and as an American would understand the word, is, at least in part, a lifestyle statement derived from maybe overprovisioning on the horsepower. Such a lifestyle statement in Germany seems to be perfectly socially acceptable when it ties in with luxury and doing your "c…

> lifestyle statement derived from maybe overprovisioning on the horsepower For what it’s worth, that horsepower is billed for towing.

most truck owners don't tow; studies show it's the horsepower is for phallic compensation reasons

Re: How do you design a $30k electric pickup? Inside Ford's skunkworks

#112

Post by WorldMaker »

wongarsu wrote: post #7

The list of 14 rules for running a skunkworks program and how they apply here is great and well worth reading the article, regardless of how you feel about the likelihood of Ford ever successfully executing on a $30k ev truck

I think Ford is technically capable of building a $30k EV truck and have been for some time. The F-150 Lightning was surprisingly close and only the overshot the mark in the direction most of the rest of the F-150 line has leaned in the same years.

I think Ford still hasn't solved its Dealer Problem that it currently would not have dealers willing to sell a $30k EV truck in the US.

Re: How do you design a $30k electric pickup? Inside Ford's skunkworks

#113

Post by vondur »

throwaway2037 wrote: post #68
CalRobert wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds similar to the lamentations of American buyers who want Japanese kei trucks. It’s protectionism all the way down I guess. Though I see tons of US pickup trucks in the Netherlands, and have seen even lifted ones in Germany too for that matter.

> American buyers who want Japanese kei trucks. It is crazy when I hear people say they want to drive a kei truck on American roads. American SUVs and trucks are enormous in both height and weight. The kei truck does not offer the necessary crash protection.

For driving around town to do stuff, I'd say they are fine and would love to have one. I doubt they would be able to safely drive on our freeways here though.

Re: How do you design a $30k electric pickup? Inside Ford's skunkworks

#114

Post by greedo »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #79
throwaway2037 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> American buyers who want Japanese kei trucks. It is crazy when I hear people say they want to drive a kei truck on American roads. American SUVs and trucks are enormous in both height and weight. The kei truck does not offer the necessary crash protection.

> The kei truck does not offer the necessary crash protection Eh, if you aren’t doing a lot of highway driving, I think this could be fine? Especially in a city where collisions should be low speed. Put another way—and this is a genuine question—is the person who wants a Kei truck better off spending tens of thousands of dollars more for safety rather than investing that in their health, happiness or education?

I know it's anecdata, but the number of high-speed crashes in my college-town are amazing. You have a 45mph zone, people routinely speed 5-10 over that and boom, dramatic crashes.

Re: How do you design a $30k electric pickup? Inside Ford's skunkworks

#115

Post by greedo »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #105
throwaway2037 wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You raise some interesting points. A different way to look at safety: Why do car companies bother at all? Why isn't it a race to the bottom for car crash safety? "Oh, it's expensive to have cars with crash safety. Let's reduce our materials cost."

> Why do car companies bother at all? Why isn't it a race to the bottom for car crash safety? More safety, always, is usually a feel-good measure. If people aren’t trading in their old cars for the newer, safer ones, because the latter are too expensive, it’s not actually helping people. Same if the cheapest car someone can get for their commute is bankrupting them.

Sorry, but this is a crock.

1. Seat belts - pretty sound investment. 2. Air Bags - excellent investment. 3. Crumple zones - outstanding investment. 4. ABS - outstanding investment. 5. Backup cameras - not worth the money if you don't value the lives of small kids. 6. Lane sensors - pretty handy, especially as your reflexes start to slow with age.

Why aren't performance improvements scrutinized the same way? How often are huge trucks given a pass despite never having anything in their truckbeds?

Re: How do you design a $30k electric pickup? Inside Ford's skunkworks

#118

Post by testing22321 »

Structural battery pack with seats bolted to it. 48 volt, less wiring, castings front and rear. Focus on less parts, ease of manufacturing and aerodynamics.

Makes sense with so many ex-Tesla people there.

Looks like ford will only be ~5 years behind if they can pull it off

Re: How do you design a $30k electric pickup? Inside Ford's skunkworks

#120

Post by jayofdoom »

Innittech wrote: post #119

They designed a $70,000 electric pickup that ended up costing $100,000 not too long ago. You don't see them on the road.

They sold >100,000 of them, including one to me. The F-150 Lightnings are coming off lease and are available used now for a reasonable price.
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